Insights into the formation of attachment bonds from a social network perspective

Abstract

The formation of new attachment bonds is not a quick process; neither does it take place in a social vacuum. Rather, attachment bonds take significant time to form and usually develop within the context of a person’s broader network of social relationships. As people sail through life, they have to navigate various transitions. One of the main challenges in these transitions is the formation of new attachment bonds out of the various social ties people have. Our research, summarized in the current chapter, focuses on the way people go about managing these social ties. We start the chapter with an overview of the attachment and affiliation behavioral systems and their interplay. After a short introduction on social networks, we explain how the dynamic between the two behavioral systems is likely to influence the formation of attachment bonds from one’s social network. We then review our research program, which has focused on: (1) the associations between attachment and social network characteristics—namely density and multiplexity, (2) attachment and the management of social networks, and, (3) outcomes of the associations between attachment and social network configuration and management. In doing so, we interpret our research in terms of what it means for the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of attachment bonds. We conclude the chapter by highlighting the theoretical and practical implications of our work as well as outline future research in the area.